Work from home leads to improved skills

Working remotely and working in an office bring different advantages, according to a report from Frontier, an internet, phone and TV service provider. For one, many workers working from home have improved their skills while doing so during the COVID-19 pandemic. Top skills improved in this setup include: time management (40 per cent) self-motivation (38 […]

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Which work changes brought about by COVID-19 will remain?

Fewer interactions, flexible leadership and focus on training expected to stay. When employers return to pre-pandemic operations, how many of the HR-related changes will remain? More than eight in 10 (83 per cent) hiring decision-makers expect that many changes to human resources management brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic will be lasting, according to a […]

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Leaders concerned about inequity of hybrid model

‘This is an opportunity for organizations to reevaluate, refresh or start over with management processes, from performance evaluation to diversity and inclusion’ Not surprisingly, the hybrid setup has become the dominant work arrangement for knowledge workers, climbing to 58 per cent from 46 per cent in May 2021. However, the number one concern among executives […]

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Focusing on retention in the ‘great resignation’

Amid the “great resignation” of 2021, more organizations are looking into conducting stay interviews to prevent employees from leaving. But because they are often seen as less important than exit interviews, stay interviews remain a mystery to many employers. But some of the most common reasons for Canadian employees wanting to quit are due to […]

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How predictive analytics can prevent ‘the great resignation’

Many organizations are grappling with issues of retention these days, as the so-called great resignation is manifesting in many workplaces. But predictive analysis can lead to a stronger employee retention strategy, says Nick Curcuru, vice-president of advisory services at Privitar, a privacy and data analytics provider in Dallas. It’s about identifying criteria that indicate which […]

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Working parents need help – what can employers do?

When it comes to supporting the unique needs of employees who have children, one of the simplest things that can be done won’t cost an employer anything. “Start listening,” says Mr. Karsten Vagner, senior vice president of people at virtual health care provider Maven Clinic in New York. “Get curious, start listening to your parents. […]

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3 in 10 workers want flexibility to attend to personal matters

Nearly two in five (38 per cent) Canadians say that having a full flexibility at work is the best working model for their team. This compares to 17 per cent preferring that all employees are together at the worksite and 15 per cent preferring that all employees work fully remote. And the most important type […]

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HR leader profile: Laura Muir of Polaris Transportation Group

The trucking industry has been in the spotlight of late, with many drivers unhappy about the federal government’s requirement for COVID-19 vaccines and protests planned across the country. But as director of HR at Polaris Transportation Group, Laura Muir says that her employer is not facing challenges in that area. For one, the company has […]

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Duty to accommodate includes reasonable, not preferred, options

A recent Alberta decision has reinforced that when it comes to employee preferences around accommodation, there are limits to an employer’s legal obligations. “Most employers are willing to consider the wishes of an employee in the accommodation process,” says Leanne Walsh, an employment lawyer at West Coast Workplace Law in Vancouver. “But the employer’s legal […]

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Ontario Green Party leader calls for return to 10-day isolation period

The Ontario Green Party leader Mike Schreiner is calling for a return to the 10-day isolation period for COVID-19, after a “premature move” by Ontario Premier Doug Ford to shorten the period to five days. “Recent studies show that the Omicron variant can be infectious for 10 days like other variants of COVID-19,” says Schreiner. […]

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